Chapter 102: After One Game Of Chess, How Many Players Remain?

When Li Rong heard the name Pei Wenxuan, she instinctively turned to look behind her, just in time to see Pei Wenxuan collapse backward. An official behind him quickly caught him and exclaimed in panic, “Lord Pei?”

The court was thrown into chaos. Seeing this, Li Rong steadied herself and quickly walked over to Pei Wenxuan, calling for the imperial physician.

She knelt down and examined him carefully. After confirming his condition, she stood up and said to Li Ming, “Reporting to Father, the Prince Consort has fainted. I will take him to the side hall to rest. I ask for your permission.”

“Quickly find out what’s going on,” Li Ming frowned. “Don’t let anything serious happen.”

Li Rong bowed respectfully, then had Pei Wenxuan carried out of the main hall. After settling him in the side hall, the imperial physicians arrived. They performed acupuncture and a diagnosis while Li Rong watched closely. When they finished, she quickly asked, “How is he?”

“Reporting to Your Highness,” the physician replied formally, “The Prince Consort has been overworked and overly worried, which has harmed his spirit. With a few days of rest and care, he should recover.”

Li Rong nodded. She had more or less guessed it. Given Pei Wenxuan’s nature—working tirelessly by day and being overly sentimental at night—it was a wonder he hadn’t collapsed sooner.

She responded, “Is there anything else we should be cautious about?”

The physician hesitated, then seeing no one else around, awkwardly said, “Regarding matters of yin and yang, there’s no need to be overly reserved, like water…”

“That’s enough.”

Li Rong knew what he was about to say and raised her hand to interrupt him. “Anything else?”

“Sleep more, eat more,” the physician said, sensing she wanted him gone. “If possible, spend time outdoors to relax. That would help too.”

Li Rong nodded, understanding. She waved him away, ordered medicine to be prepared, and instructed Jinglan to investigate Consort Rou’s movements last night through the palace’s secret network. Once the room was empty, she sat down beside Pei Wenxuan and studied him closely.

He seemed thinner now than he had been at this age in their previous life. But that wasn’t surprising. In their past life, after marrying her, he hadn’t thought much about anything. He dutifully played the role of Prince Consort, working hard mostly out of pride.

But now, both of them lived under the shadow of a sword that could fall at any moment. Less than a year after being reborn, he had already secured his position at the Censorate. Though his rank wasn’t high, he was well-known and respected—everyone gave way to Censor Pei.

Now, he had even leapt eight ranks, a truly astonishing feat.

The position of Vice Minister of Personnel was clearly beyond Pei Wenxuan’s current qualifications.

Su Rongqing could be Minister of Justice because he had been involved in politics since age twelve, became a fifth-rank official at fourteen, and Vice Minister of Justice at seventeen. Backed by the prestigious Su family, no one questioned his qualifications.

But Pei Wenxuan?

He graduated top of his class from Bailu Academy at fourteen, was recommended for the imperial exams the following spring, and ranked first in both the written and palace exams, becoming the top scholar parading through Huajing. At fifteen, he entered the court, originally appointed as a fifth-rank official, but before he could assume the post, his father Pei Lizhi passed away. He had to return to Luzhou for three years of mourning. Afterward, his second uncle arranged for him to take a minor ninth-rank position in the Ministry of Justice. A year later, her father remembered him and brought him out to be her Prince Consort.

Through a scheme involving the Yang family, he gained the opportunity to become a Censor. From the Qin case to the establishment of the Inspection Bureau, he stayed at the Censorate partly to support her—without him there, she’d lose a crucial weapon. But also, Li Ming deliberately slowed his promotion, claiming he was waiting for the right position to give him a leap in rank. Yet Li Ming’s true intentions…

Who could say?

Li Rong pondered Pei Wenxuan’s inclusion in the Vice Minister list and felt a sudden pang of sorrow.

She remembered something Pei Wenxuan had once said to her:

“Your Highness, we are different kinds of people.”

She hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but now, reflecting on it, she realized that compared to Pei Wenxuan, Su Rongqing’s path had been far smoother.

Su Rongqing had the protection of his father and brothers. Even after they were gone, the century-old legacy of the Su family ensured he had uncles to support him.

But Pei Wenxuan?

His father was gone, and with that, everything else vanished too. No so-called family legacy, no family values—only a second uncle scheming how to exploit a widowed mother and her orphaned son. He forced the fifteen-year-old Pei Wenxuan to return home for mourning, then tricked his mother out of her property and dismissed the family retainers.

It was all too difficult.

Li Rong reached out and held Pei Wenxuan’s hand. His eyelashes trembled slightly as he opened his eyes and saw Li Rong gazing down at their clasped hands.

“Your Highness…” Pei Wenxuan spoke hoarsely.

Li Rong looked up and smiled upon seeing him awake. “You’re awake? Want some water?”

She asked gently, then reached for the water nearby and brought it to his lips. Pei Wenxuan drank from her hand, paused to recover, then urgently asked, “Your Highness, did you hear the rest of the appointment list?”

“No worries. I’ll go to the Ministry of Personnel and get it myself later.”

“Your Highness,” Pei Wenxuan frowned, “I know you mean well, but jumping eight ranks…”

“I arranged for you to be the Chief of Merit Evaluation.”

Li Rong interrupted him and explained directly, “The Vice Minister of Personnel appointment wasn’t my doing.”

Pei Wenxuan was stunned. After a moment, his voice turned cold. “How did Your Highness manage this?”

“You know I contacted Liu Hangchun. He oversees promotions for officials below the fifth rank. I gave him a generous gift and also threatened him—if he didn’t place you in the Chief of Merit Evaluation role, I’d send him to the Inspection Bureau. His hands aren’t clean, so he agreed.”

Pei Wenxuan nodded. “And then?”

“This time, the Ministry of Personnel lost a Vice Minister and an Assistant Minister due to the military funds case. They had to fill those positions in the reshuffle. I used other connections to move the original Chief of Merit Evaluation to the Assistant Minister role, leaving the position open for you. Your qualifications were already strong for this round of appointments. As long as no one deliberately blocked you, entering the Ministry was expected. With the position vacant and Liu Hangchun and the decision-makers all handled, a sixth-rank official like you shouldn’t have had any issues.”

Li Rong laid out the situation. Pei Wenxuan thought silently.

After a moment, he asked again, “You didn’t contact anyone who could appoint officials above the fifth rank?”

“No,” Li Rong confirmed. “Your rise has been too fast. I’m worried His Majesty might grow suspicious.”

Pei Wenxuan remained silent. Li Rong poured him tea. “Now it’s clear—someone is trying to harm you. But I don’t understand. If they wanted to hurt you, they could’ve just blocked your entry into the Ministry. Why go to such lengths to push you into the Vice Minister role?”

Pei Wenxuan lowered his gaze. Li Rong continued slowly, “Aren’t they afraid this might backfire, and you actually end up holding the Vice Minister position?”

“The bigger the gamble, the greater the reward if they win,” Pei Wenxuan murmured thoughtfully. “It seems the person behind this wants more than just to stop my promotion.”

“Then what do they want?”

Li Rong turned to look at him. Pei Wenxuan chuckled softly, meeting her gaze with a fox-like smile. “That depends on who made the move.”

“Who do you think it was?”

Li Rong frowned. She already had a few suspects in mind but needed confirmation. From Pei Wenxuan’s tone, it seemed he had more than one suspect.

Pei Wenxuan didn’t answer. He leaned gently against the headboard, closed his eyes, and said calmly, “We’ll know tonight when all the information comes in.”

Li Rong said nothing. She watched Pei Wenxuan—despite the adversity, he showed no anger. Instead, he had the calm demeanor of someone facing a worthy opponent. Leaning quietly against the bed, he seemed to be listening to the wind and rain.

He had tossed and turned all night, but now that the matter had surfaced, he was finally at peace.

What he feared wasn’t trouble—it was not knowing what the trouble was.

Now that the other party had made their move, Pei Wenxuan felt more at ease and no longer panicked.  

Seeing his calm composure, Li Rong knew he had a plan in mind. After a moment of hesitation, she admitted softly, “I didn’t handle this well.”  

Pei Wenxuan was surprised by her words. He opened his eyes to see Li Rong with her head bowed, her gaze lowered, as she earnestly promised, “I’ll take responsibility. You don’t need to worry.”  

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan burst into laughter. Li Rong frowned and looked up. “What are you laughing at?”  

“Your Highness, the enemy struck from the shadows while we were in the open. Even if I had been the one handling this matter today, I wouldn’t have done better than you. Why blame yourself?”  

“If only I had been more careful—”  

“Careful about what?” Pei Wenxuan smiled at her. “We’ve done all we could. We’re not omniscient gods—we can’t predict everything. If they choose to act, we can’t stop them.”  

Li Rong fell silent, her mind replaying the events, searching for ways she could have prevented this if given another chance.  

Seeing her self-reproach, Pei Wenxuan sighed and shook his head. He reached out, pulled her into his arms, and comforted her, “My dear princess, don’t be upset. You’ve already wronged me—if you stay unhappy and make me coax you, isn’t that just wronging me even more?”  

Li Rong stiffened slightly. Pei Wenxuan released her, lifted her chin with his fingers, and said cheerfully, “Smile for me.”  

Li Rong forced a smile. Noticing she was still unhappy, Pei Wenxuan thought for a moment. “Still feeling guilty?”  

Li Rong didn’t answer. She composed herself and stood up. “If you’re fine, go back first. Gather all the information, and then—”  

Before she could finish, Pei Wenxuan grabbed her hand, pulled her back into his embrace, tilted her chin up, and kissed her.  

Li Rong struggled slightly, but he deepened the kiss. Her heart raced—this was a side chamber in the court, reserved for officials in special circumstances, not her princess’s residence. What if someone saw?  

…Though it wouldn’t really matter.  

Even so, Li Rong couldn’t help but feel nervous. That tension made her forget her earlier distress—and soon, she forgot even the nervousness.  

When Pei Wenxuan felt her relax, he finally pulled away. Holding her in silence, he rested his chin on her shoulder. After a long pause, he murmured in a low, husky voice, “I know you like to keep accounts clear, but Rongrong—”  

“Settling debts one by one is what allies do. I’m your husband.”  

Li Rong said nothing, but Pei Wenxuan seemed to live inside her heart—he understood everything. “If you really feel guilty,” he said, lifting her chin with a finger, “how about letting me kiss you a few more times?”  

Li Rong stared at him. Pei Wenxuan was smiling, as if none of this truly bothered him. After a long silence, just as he thought she wouldn’t respond and was about to stand, Li Rong suddenly cupped his face and kissed him fiercely—like a child—planting kisses on his forehead, cheeks, nose, and lips.  

Pei Wenxuan couldn’t help but laugh at her method. After the last kiss, Li Rong stood up, looking down at him imperiously. “Those were rewards for being so handsome. Since they’ve gone out of their way to secure you the position of Vice Minister of Personnel, it’d be rude not to accept their ‘kindness.’”  

“Enough lying around.” She tapped his leg with her fan. “Get up. We’re going home to figure this out—then I’ll show them what happens when they mess with us.”  

Pei Wenxuan pretended to be hurt, letting out an exaggerated “Ow!” before clutching his backside and standing up with a pitiful look. “Your Highness, you hurt me.”  

Li Rong gave him a cold glance. “I hit your leg.”  

Then she raised her hand. Pei Wenxuan looked down. “Your Highness?”  

“Does it still hurt?” she asked impassively. “If you can’t walk, hold onto me.”  

“Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness.” Without hesitation, Pei Wenxuan took her hand and let her support him as they walked out.

The two walked out of the side hall, just as court was being dismissed. Ministers were coming out of the main hall one after another, and many, upon seeing Pei Wenxuan, came forward to offer their congratulations. But Pei Wenxuan wasn’t in the mood to accept these congratulations.

Right now, it was merely the initial list. It would take three months without any objections for it to be finalized, after which the reassignment procedures would begin.

But clearly, someone had set a trap. Expecting no objections in the next three months would be wishful thinking.

So Pei Wenxuan only exchanged brief pleasantries, humbly saying, “It’s just a preliminary list. I’m still inexperienced and may not be suited for such an important role.”

After greeting the familiar officials, Li Rong supported Pei Wenxuan as they walked out of the square. Just as they reached the palace gates, they saw Su Rongqing also preparing to leave.

Su Rongqing noticed the two approaching arm-in-arm and looked over. Pei Wenxuan, seeing Su Rongqing glance their way, quickly leaned closer to Li Rong. Li Rong frowned and asked, “What’s wrong with you? Are you crippled?”

“Ah,” Pei Wenxuan raised his hand to cover his forehead, “I feel dizzy.”

“Dizzy again?” Li Rong looked a bit worried. Pei Wenxuan lowered his head and said, “Let’s go, let’s go. I want to go home.”

Su Rongqing stood on his carriage in the distance, watching the two leaning on each other. After a long moment, he lifted the curtain and sat inside.

Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan returned to the Princess’s residence. Li Rong had already sent someone ahead to summon Liu Hangchun. As soon as they arrived, Liu Hangchun was already waiting in the main hall. Seeing Li Rong enter, he immediately knelt down and said anxiously, “Your Highness.”

“You’re kneeling already?”

Li Rong smiled, “So you know what you’ve done?”

Liu Hangchun didn’t dare respond. Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan sat down together, looking at Liu Hangchun kneeling on the floor. Li Rong picked up her teacup and said slowly, “Tell me what you did.”

The position of Assistant Minister of Personnel was much higher than Liu Hangchun’s own, and this matter shouldn’t have had anything to do with him. But the fact that he knelt as soon as he was summoned told Li Rong he must have done something.

Liu Hangchun trembled as he knelt before Li Rong, cold sweat forming on his forehead. He said anxiously, “Your Highness, last night someone brought me the reassignment list for officials of fifth rank and above, asking me to remove Lord Pei’s name from the position of Merit Evaluation Officer. I didn’t dare go against Your Highness’s orders, but they said it was for the Prince Consort’s benefit. I thought, if the Prince Consort could become Assistant Minister of Personnel, that would surely be better than being a Merit Evaluation Officer. Also, the list for fifth rank and above is presented to His Majesty in advance. If His Majesty first sees the Prince Consort as a candidate for Assistant Minister, then sees my list with him as a Merit Evaluation Officer, he might think I’m being careless. So…”

“So you removed the Prince Consort’s name from the Merit Evaluation Officer position.”

Li Rong smiled lightly, “That’s a good thing, isn’t it? The Prince Consort is now Assistant Minister. Why are you so scared?”

Liu Hangchun didn’t dare respond. Li Rong stirred her teacup slowly and asked, “Who approached you, and what did they say?”

“The person who approached me… was Princess Hua Le.”

Hearing that name, Li Rong paused. Liu Hangchun, gathering his courage, continued, “Princess Hua Le said that Consort Rou wanted someone to take the Merit Evaluation Officer position and asked me to arrange it. I didn’t dare agree, so I told Princess Hua Le that the position had already been decided. She asked who it was, and I told her. Then she informed me that the Prince Consort had already been selected as Assistant Minister of Personnel.”

“I knew something was off,” Liu Hangchun trembled all over, “but since the Prince Consort was already chosen for Assistant Minister, keeping him on the other list would be pointless. Having him appear on both lists would be strange. So I followed Princess Hua Le’s instructions…”

“And arranged for her person.”

Pei Wenxuan’s voice rang out. Liu Hangchun quickly said, “No, no, Prince Consort, you’ve wronged me. Although I removed your name, I only restored the original name. I know the relationship between Princess Hua Le and Her Highness. Her Highness controls the Inspectorate. Even if I had ten times the courage, I wouldn’t dare go against Her Highness.”

“So you removed the Prince Consort’s name.”

“Yes,” Liu Hangchun said anxiously, “That was the only thing I did. Today I heard that the Prince Consort fainted in court. The ministers are all saying it was from overwhelming joy, but I know in my heart it was likely because I made a mistake. I beg Your Highness and the Prince Consort to forgive me!”

Liu Hangchun kowtowed repeatedly. Li Rong sighed and waved her hand, saying helplessly, “Get up. You may leave for now.”

Hearing this, Liu Hangchun breathed a sigh of relief. After respectfully bowing and preparing to leave, he heard Li Rong quietly say, “Since the matter wasn’t accomplished, return the money. There will be turbulence soon, and Lord Liu likely won’t be able to escape it. If something unexpected happens, think carefully about what you should and shouldn’t say.”

“Rest assured, Your Highness,” Liu Hangchun replied respectfully, understanding her meaning. “I know what to do.”

“Go on.”

After Li Rong spoke, Liu Hangchun withdrew.

Once he was gone, Li Rong looked up at Pei Wenxuan, who was deep in thought. “Do you have a clear idea now?”

Pei Wenxuan looked up and smiled lightly. “Who does Your Highness think it is?”

“From the looks of it, Consort Rou is definitely involved. But what is she trying to do?”

Li Rong pondered aloud, “She’s probably afraid that our influence will grow and that we’ll support Chuan’er in the future. That I can understand. So she tries to block your entry into the Ministry of Personnel—that makes sense. But now she’s helping you become Assistant Minister of Personnel. What’s her goal?”

“If I become Assistant Minister,” Pei Wenxuan said, placing a chess piece on the board, “what do you think will happen?”

Li Rong understood he wanted her to deduce the consequences.

“The ministers won’t agree. They’ll submit a joint petition. You won’t be able to take the position.”

She placed her piece. “So what’s the point?”

“How will His Majesty interpret this?”

Pei Wenxuan placed another piece calmly. Li Rong said in a low voice, “He’ll think you’re too ambitious, trying to rise too quickly.”

“I was originally just a tool of His Majesty, completely reliant on him. Now I’m suddenly appointed Assistant Minister—how did that happen?”

“It was me,” Li Rong said, placing her piece with a cold expression. “I helped you.”

“If Your Highness can so easily elevate your husband six ranks to Assistant Minister, where does that power come from?”

“Either from the Crown Prince,” Li Rong said, holding a chess piece and looking at Pei Wenxuan, “or from the Inspectorate’s authority, which has become strong enough to intimidate the court.”

“Do you remember why His Majesty allowed you to establish the Inspectorate?”

“He wanted to use my status and abilities to counterbalance the noble families. Between me and the aristocracy, he could reap the benefits.”

“In the previous life, the Inspectorate was controlled by Consort Rou. She used it to eventually send the Crown Prince to prison. Do you think His Majesty doesn’t have the same intentions now?”

Pei Wenxuan smiled lightly:
“He merely handed the Inspectorate over to Your Highness, hoping to use you like a hen incubating eggs. Once the eggs hatch, the chicks must be handed over to someone else. An Inspectorate that can threaten the ministers and secure a sixth-rank official position for your husband—His Majesty sees this. Would you say this is a hatched chick?”

Li Rong didn’t respond. After a moment of silence, she tossed the chess piece into the box and stood up.

“I need to go to the palace.”

Pei Wenxuan didn’t look up, still focused on the chessboard. He said calmly, “Take care, Your Highness.”

Li Rong left directly. Pei Wenxuan rubbed the chess piece in his hand.

There was one thing he hadn’t mentioned earlier.

All their considerations, perspectives, and decisions were based on their foreknowledge of the future. They were working backward, trying to deduce what people in the present were thinking.

They knew the emperor was currently focused on balancing the aristocracy and imperial power, even willing to abolish the crown prince. But back then, everyone thought Li Ming was simply too fond of Consort Rou. No one realized that Li Ming had long intended to shake the foundations of the noble families.

Because of the deep ties between the aristocracy and Li Ming, no one in the Shangguan family believed he would ever consider cutting off his own uncle, cousins, wife, or even son.

They knew the imperial examination would become crucial in the future, so they were determined to secure the position of Merit Evaluation Officer for this year.

But people in the present didn’t know that.

Neither Consort Rou, the Empress, the noble families, nor the ministers truly understood Li Ming’s intentions.

Yet now, Consort Rou had made her move—placing her own person in the Merit Evaluation Officer role, then nominating Pei Wenxuan as Assistant Minister to provoke Li Ming, hoping to force him to suspect Li Rong and transfer the Inspectorate to her.

Pei Wenxuan looked at the black-and-white chessboard before him and couldn’t help but laugh.

“How interesting.”

Just how many players are there behind this game?

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